Sunday, August 10, 2008

Mini Me.

I came across a brown envelope the other day that enclosed a veritable gold mine of goodies.

The writing was all very neat and written with fountain pens and the general remarks are surprisingly consistent. Words like ‘delightful, helpful, conscientious, cheerful and friendly’ (according to my teachers) summed me up on my school reports between the ages of eight-eleven. Goody two shoes was also a ‘neat and tidy worker’!

Of course there are always the other comments that seem to stick with you.
ENGLISH : ‘She is very careless with spellings’, this is still true today as my mother with attest.
MATHS: “she lacks confidence and gives up too easily” and “her understanding of multiplication and division concepts are weak and she gets muddled” These two things are also still true today, so it’s perfect that I’m in charge of payroll and so books for my company!

As an aside I was also evidently quite good at sewing (whoopee).


The best report however, was one I wrote about my self at age 11 years 6 months. Blatantly honest I give my own game away by stating “I loath doing Interest and I try to get out of doing it”…what the hell was “interest” anyway?! Jesus, I have zero recollection of that whole subject. I continue “Games and P.E. are super” SUPER! This from the eleven and a half year old me, bloody fantastic. Somewhere along the way I lost or dumped the word ‘super’ (probably at age twelve) so I think in homage to myself I’ll bring back into my lingo immediately.

Here I am engaged in some typical games, PE and knicker flashing all rolled into one, the caption on the back diligently written by my Mum reads "a typical manouver".

I heard an interview with David Bowie recently and the question was asked "how much of that young Brixton boy is still in there"? He answerd "very little". We grow up, we change, we move and I may have agreed with the Space Oddity about myself, if I'd not just read six school reports that clearly show the foundation of my personality and abilities had already been laid at a young age.

"Kinda cool huh" says the American in me, "Super" says the Brit.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Now aren't you glad we mothers are such hoarders that it allows you to take the Mickey out of yourself at age 47+. The reason we had to always have a large back garden with plenty of grass was so that you could do your handstands, cartwheels and general gymnastics. I, of course, always harboured hopes of you making the GB Olympic's team!!!!!! Mothers do have the wildest dreams. Whatever, the picture and the reports bring back so many memories - from me - thank you.

Mater (with a smile) x

Lano said...

It looks like the people in the background are very aroused by your handstand, are they eating each other?

Anonymous said...

No they're not eating each other, they're boasting who has the widest flares.

Mater x

Nancy said...

Makes me laugh about your math report! We are so numbers dumb in the office sometimes....it is embarrassing!
I wondered about the couple in the back ground as well...kinda of a wheres waldo...what does not belong in this photo?

Anonymous said...

Interest
Bloody hell girl - it's what you get when you put money in the bank or what you pay on the credit card.
Good to see why you run the business books...
God give me strength...
Who am I?????? :-)

Sharon said...

Anon: I like the game, but you'll have to give me more of a clue than "bloody hell".

Anonymous said...

It sounds like your big brother.

Mater x

Anonymous said...

Hilarious Lano, thank god they are not eating Shaz in this legs-a-kimbo position, would be far too much action for one post.

Sir Paul said...

Hello Sharon
Based on the photo I'd say you haven't changed a bit. Still flashing yer knickers at 47+.(refering to your Union Jack Constable photo)
Best to you,
Paul